By Lucy Hasani, galerieperie.com

This week Galerie Perrie had the pleasure of interviewing one of our very own artists, Kyte Tatt, an American-born mixed-media artist based in Berlin. Kyte touches upon his relationship with an ever-changing environment and how this fuels his desire to create. This relationship is one that reiterates the modernity of an uncertain society, where humans and nature interact in unique ways with one another, a message that extends to his new collection of abstract expressionist works.

GP: Do you think that your approach to creating art differed while traveling to new places?
Kyte: Before settling down in Berlin, I was traveling around the US in a caravan indulging in many creative pursuits before finding my true passion and art form. Throughout this time I had the opportunity to collaborate with many different artists as well as Burning Man, an event focussed on art and self- expression. I also started making my own clothes as a way of self-expression, however I realized that I have no interest in making others look like me, but instead it was my uniqueness that would characterize my work. This creative energy only manifested itself in the form of painting once I settled in Berlin, where I found inspiration in every aspect.

GP: Was there a specific reason that Berlin stood out to you?
Kyte: For me, visiting Berlin felt like putting on an old pair of shoes, something about it felt so familiar and like I was finally home after years of travel. The city is known for its open minded approach and freedom of expression, something which I found comfort in as an artist.

GP: Is there a certain message that you hope to create within your art or do you leave it open to viewer interpretation?
Kyte: My art is very much based on personal experience as a lot of my paintings revolve around metaphors of nature, which is where I choose to create from. In that sense, I do leave interpretation open to viewers however I guide them through subject matter and medium which leads viewers to form a similar understanding of my work, one that acknowledges a strong relationship between humans and their environment.

GP: Do you think that the specific medium and materials you choose to create with help further this message?
Kyte: Most definitely- especially within my more recent works where I paint from environments external to the safe space of my garden. The volatile and gestural use of paint embodies this experience of danger and uncertainty, as I step out of a space that I have become so comfortable with to go beyond the fence and into the unknown. This reiterates the honest, raw and personal approach behind my art work, through a relationship with the environment that we all experience differently.

GP: Does producing artwork help you in other aspects of your life that you perhaps didn’t anticipate?
Kyte: Art is what feeds my spirit and has become the one thing that I turn to the second I wake up. It’s funny actually, my studio and bed are only a couple of feet away from each other, painting has become second nature to me… Creating these paintings provides me with purpose and a sense of peace that I feel I have searched so long for and I am lucky to have found my passion in this sense. Through pursuing this passion I have been able to connect with people in unexpected ways, as I feel that my art work allows others to understand me in ways that can’t be expressed through words.

GP: What is one piece of advice you would give to an emerging artist or someone hoping to start in the industry?
Kyte: If you aren’t exploding to do it, don’t start. You can’t be uncertain in your decision, the desire to create is something that is internal and felt from the beginning.

GP: If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be?
Kyte: This is a difficult question as creating is a very personal and independent experience for me, I think that is what makes creating special. I’m not against the idea of collaborating, however with my art work I don’t like to negotiate or compromise the meaning that I am trying to get across. Although the creative possibilities of collaborations are exciting and can lead to great outcomes, my subject matter is very personal and can only be narrated through my eyes.

GP: Do contemporary changes in society influence you at all?
Kyte: I think that the uncertainty of today’s society is reflected in my recent works. My previous collection, Gardens of Liberty, focusses on flowers that I would see in my garden which is a familiar space that I would usually paint from. However, more recent works, which I create in a new setting, embody this idea of uncertainty and the unknown as I depict animals and nature’s beasts creating a sense of danger of what’s out there.

Click here to view Kyte Tatt’s work on GaleriePerrie.com